Originally Posted by Squeek
Daggerfall was an exception. The game begins with the Emperor explaining two tasks for you to perform. You board a ship but a mysterious and violent storm sinks it almost immediately. You start the game where you get washed ashore (in a dungeon).

That's true, but all of that is handled through cut scenes, not actuallly played. So you really start the game in the dungeon, which is kinda like being imprisoned (since you have no choice of whether you can start there or not, you're basically imprisoned by fate).

But you're right, it's not a prison per se… but you are essentially imprisoned